358 Big Idio (1/2)
Yang Jiahui's outburst effectively shut everyone up. It was the first time that most of these people saw her lose her temper. Sheepish expressions appeared on their faces. They knew that they were part of the ”circus” act she accused them of, whether as an active member of the altercation or even just as a passive bystander.
Long Tengfei's eyes softened at his wife. He held her hand and gently squeezed it to soothe her anger. Then his eyes turned cold again when he looked at everyone else. He spoke in a loud and clear voice filled with authority.
”Dear friends, I apologize for letting you witness such an embarrassing family spectacle tonight. Regardless of what happened, I hope that you continue to enjoy yourselves at my birthday party. And also please excuse us as I gather the parties involved for a private talk. We will return later to celebrate the rest of the night with you.”
The guests murmured ”go ahead”, ”please don't worry about us”, and other such gracious words. They also couldn't wait for Long Tengfei and the others to leave, so that they could freely discuss among themselves what just happened.
Still holding his wife's hand, Long Tengfei ordered a ”private family meeting” and motioned for the parties involved to follow him. The Wu family was also invited to join because of their involvement in the situation.
The elders were the first ones to follow him. Next was the Wu family. Long Hui followed next but met with some resistance from Jiang Ying Yue.
”Ying Yue, please. You must come with me. Father says that this is a family meeting. You're now my fiancée. Meaning, you're part of the family. Besides, our relationship will most definitely be the main topic of the meeting. Both of us need to be there,” Long Hui told her.
”Hui… Sorry but I-I don't think I can do this,” Jiang Ying Yue whispered to him in a desperate tone. ”The elders don't consider me as part of your family. You just heard your granduncle, didn't you? He said that he'll never accept me into the family. There are only so much insults that I can take before I break down. I-I want to go home to our son now.”
Long Hui took her hand and held it firmly. ”Ying Yue, I'm sorry. I know that you're hurting, but I really hope that you'll come with me to the meeting. I'll fight for you and for our son. I'm serious. I'll marry you whether the elders like it or not. I know it's hard but can you please endure it for now? Ying Yue, let's fight together. This is for us, for our son, for our family.”
When he said it like this, Jiang Ying Yue couldn't make herself disagree with him. She sighed and then took a few deep breaths to steel herself against the insults that would surely be thrown her way again. She felt like a sacrificial lamb about to walk into a nest of vipers.
”You're a big idiot, Elder Brother Hui,” Iris' low voice interrupted their whispered conversation. ”You say 'fight together' but you're not even giving Ying Yue a weapon to defend herself. You just want her to completely depend on your shitty protection. She's being attacked left and right but you want her to 'endure'. Some man you are.”
”Little sister, stay out of this. It's none of your business,” Long Hui told her through gritted teeth.
Anger flared within Iris, powered by the inconspicuous remnant. Fortunately, her calm and rational emotions counterbalanced the remnant's volatility. Iris hadn't realized it yet, but at the moment, a permanent evolution was happening deep inside her. Once the process was complete, she would never be the same again.
”None of my business?” she hissed at Long Hui. ”Ying Yue is my friend. You think I'm just going to stand here quietly when I see her hurting? Your carelessness is causing her great pain. Just be honest and say that you want the best of both worlds. You want to be the heir but you also want to marry her and make your son legitimate, even if it means dragging them into the hostile domain of the Long family.”
”What's wrong with wanting the best of both worlds? I'm not doing this just for myself. My son will have more opportunities in life as a legitimate child of the Long family,” Long Hui countered.
”I agree with your reasons, especially since it's for the sake of Little Jun. But your methods suck, Elder Brother. Too crude and simplistic. You're going to allow Ying Yue and Little Jun to endure the discrimination from the elders and the other branch families, and just hope that the relatives will accept the mother and son in the future? How naïve! That's just plain torture to my friend and my godson. That's why you're a big idiot.”